Tag Archives: lunar new year

I interrupt my Hawaiian adventures with a brief commercial break. My favorite holiday, Lunar New Year, is coming up in just two weeks and Godiva was gracious enough to send me their Lunar New Year Collection again this year. I’ve been lucky enough to have sampled their last two LNY Collections as well as one of their Mid-Autumn Festival ones (see my posts on Year of the Goat and Horse aaaand Mid-Autumn Festival).

I must say, this year’s collection just might be the best one yet.

First, a little bit about why I love LNY. LNY is basically Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years combined into one glorious holiday. Families fly, train, bus all across the country to be with each other and, like Thanksgiving, eat. A LOT. My family typically does a huge meal for dinner and then ANOTHER entire new meal (no repeated dishes allowed) after midnight as the first meal of the New Year. Like Christmas, the older generation gives the younger generation red envelopes filled with $$$$$$$. Chinese people are very practical. You can then use that money to buy whatever you want. No fears of getting that sweater from mom you’ll never wear. (Okay but truthfully I do love a thoughtful gift >>>> $$). Like New Years, fireworks and firecrackers go off all across the country to “scare away” any bad luck. It’s the best of all three holidays combined. OH and I forgot – in China, everyone gets an ENTIRE WEEK OFF. That’s right, even the stock markets shut down for a few days. It’s beautiful.

I’m the luckiest girl alive. Lunar New Year is possibly my favorite holiday of the year and GODIVA SENT ME CHOCOLATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Godiva has honored my favorite holiday with a limited edition Year of the Goat gift box. I was lucky enough to receive the Mid-Autumn Festival “mooncakes” from Godiva last year, which were deeeelicious. I was very much looking forward to another collection of Belgian chocolates with Asian flavors. This is one type of fusion I can stand by.

Similar to the Mid-Autumn Festival box, this box showcased three special chocolates: one dark, one milk, and one white.

There were also some other classic Godiva chocolates along with the mix. Only six lucky goats (choose who’d you like to share with wisely).

J.J. recently invited me to the debut of Godiva’s limited edition “Year of the Horse” collection at Godiva’s headquarters in New York. I had never been to a chocolate tasting before – so this was pretty damn exciting for me!

Here are the gems:

a milk chocolate filled with crunchy almond praline, sour cherry, and a hint of honey

a dark chocolate filled with crunchy caramel pear ganache with a touch of vanilla

a white chocolate with macadamia cream and pineapple

I’m normally a medium dark chocolate person (like a 60-70% cocoa kind of girl) and completely anti white chocolate. White chocolate never felt like chocolate to me because it doesn’t have cocoa solids, only cocoa butter. Godiva’s new white chocolate melts so smoothly on your tongue and is not too sweet. The nutty and tart filling from the macadamia and pineapple melds into the creamy buttery white chocolate. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I’ve purchased Godiva chocolate, but after I finish my samples, I will probably go try to find some more of this white chocolate.